2455 Old Penitentiary Road

Boise, ID 83712 (Next to the Old Pen)

Current Hours

November Hours: Saturdays Only 1-4pm plus Santa's Rock Shop: Sunday Nov 12 12-4pm

Free Admission!

Tours and other programs available.

MUSEUM TOURS

For scheduling & details, send an email to education@idahomuseum.org

Please include your preferred contact information.

MUSEUM TOUR EXPLORES TOPICS INCLUDING

  • Rock and mineral classification
  • Geology fundamentals including Rock Cycle
  • Seismology
  • Idaho’s mining history
  • Meteorites
  • Uses of rocks & minerals

HILLSIDE HIKE EXPLORES TOPICS INCLUDING

  • What is geology and what is a geoscientist?
  • Three types of rocks
  • Small scale processes: Weathering and Erosion
  • Large scale processes: Plate tectonics and Faults
  • Local and Regional Geology
  • Warm Springs geothermal system
  • The IMMG tour program consists of a hillside hike and a tour of the museum/activity. 
  • There is a minimum charge of $15 for tours of less than 5 students and $3 per student thereafter. Parents and teachers are not charged.
  • Being a bit smaller museum we can only accommodate one class size of approximately 20 to 30 students in a single tour.  The class will be split into two groups that will alternate from the hillside portion and the museum portion of the tour.
  • Covid Policy: Masks are optional based on school policies; leader use of masks is optional.
  • We recommend sturdy shoes and water for the hillside hike. 
  • Tours are about 1.5 hours long and are for third grade/age 8 and up. 
  • Groups can request museum tour or hillside hike only and the tour is shortened to 1 hour.
  • The tour complements the 4th grade Earth and Space Science Standards required in the Idaho Core Standards.
  • School tours are available for students in public, charter, private, religious and home schools, and day cares of appropriate age as above.
  • Tours are scheduled 2 days a week on Tuesday and Thursday and run March through October. The full tour is dependent on weather. An indoor activity may replace the hillside if weather is inclement or trail conditions do not permit access.
  • Tours are conducted between 10 am and 1 pm. Bathrooms at the Old Pen are not available until noon during school year. There are pit toilets at the Table Rock trailhead.
  • Our tour leaders are volunteers. Teachers and chaperones are required to manage students and groups while staff are leading the tour.

Themes:

  • Geoscience Content
  • Idaho History
  • Idaho Mining

Geoscience Content:

  • What is geology? What are the geosciences? 
  • What do geologists study? 
  • What are the three types of rocks? What is the rock cycle? 
  • Why are minerals important?
  • What are the landforms that we can see in our valley? How has the valley changed?
  • How does the earth change on a large scale? What are plate tectonics? What is a fault? 
  • How does that earth change on a small scale? What is weathering and erosion? What are different types of physical and chemical weathering?
  • What is an example of a local natural resource? How has our community utilized local natural resources?
  • What types of materials are mined in Idaho? What products do they create?